The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-07-23

Shlrt-ffont, It Will De quite Sufnclent when l veil the vulgar name of that insect by saying that the name of a certain musical note expressed its character. Iwould have travelled with Campbell in the same carriage from London to Edinburgh. or from South ampton to Bombay in the same F. and O. boat, without speaking to him. But this was not moment for half measures.
 Il beg your pardon" l said: "don't move, but there's-er-a something on your shirt"
 Campbell lowered his eyes; he moved the objectionable thing and thanked me, but he did so in care less sort of way, as though the find ing of objec ctionable things on his shirt front was common occurrence, an every day affair. I was naturally surprised at his taking the thing so coolly.
 We ought to send for the steward at once!" said, in my natural indig- nation. Good gad, sir, the place is, perhaps, infested :"
 A)Oh CAtLht ANpAANN Campbell, tits my fault; l get them ill my work"
 Good gracious!" was all could utter in my horror and astonishment: and then 1 did very stupid thing manifested curiosity At the Rice and Curry to manifest curiosity in anything whatsoever is looked upon as the very worst of bad form.
 "Ah," i said interrogatively, "you go in for old furniture and things of that sort, eh?"
 "No," said Campbell. "I bring them from the East End"
 1 looked round the room for wit ness to this horrible confession. Talk of disturbing influences! Here was a man who boasted in cold blood that he brought disturbing influences of the most abominable kind into the club smoking room. For once in my life my diffidence vanished. felt that was called upon to perform n duty, that the eyes of the fourteen hundred and ninety eight other mem- bers would look to me to do that du- ty, and instantly determined to sum- mon general meeting, and to pro- pose Campbel's immediate expulsion
 Do you feel any interest in my work?" said he, suavely.
 This was the last straw. I rose to my feet.
 "No, sir" said with just indig- nation. II look upon your conduct as abominable and disgusting. l can only hope, sir, that you are insane. . Here thought of Wugsby and Raw ing Madness.
 "Then you approve the opium tax?" said he quite calmly. He was evidently mad; he could not have been drinking, for he had been under my observation for at least two ! hours. Perhaps he was mystifier or fool; to me the terms are synony- nous.
 Il fancy we are playing at cross purposes" he added after a pause. ''The fact is that go daily among the Chinese at the East End, in whom l I take gaeat interest. and " hat you have seen is one of the inevitable draw backs to my occupation" 1 Like all enthusiasts. once started OH his hobby, he proceeded to ride it to death. He explained to me that by our system of fostering the opium in- dustry in India we were causing year. ly the death and moral ruin of thous- ands of intelligent Chinese. lie di- lated upon the subject for at least an hour. and then he launched out upon the destitute condition of the large Chinese colony at the East End of London. 1 tried to get away several times, but incidentally. At last he succeeded in communicating to me portion-a very small portion-of his own enthusiasm. He painted a ter rible picture of John Chinaman in London, homeless penniless, friendless. hopeless, possessed body and soul by the opium fiend, spending his hard earned coppers in sordid dens upon the fatal drug. which was to assuredly repay his infatuation by gradually stealing away his health, his brains, and at last his life. He fairly made my flesh creep.
 My dear fellow" he said, 'there is no time like the present: come and see for yourself"
 I resisted, but in vain. have said I am diffident. 1 fear have no strength of mind. never can say no. l could not say no to Campbell. It was ten o'clock at night. He got me down stairs. It was an awful night. In hanson cab he dragged me to the most dreadful of the dreadful slums of the East End of London. Such sordid misery as l saw there h.d never even dreamt of.
 am not going to infiict upon you long description of an opium den; that has been done before by the mas l for hand and haa hnen affernnfed